Pro-Russian activists force Ukraine troops to abandon Luhansk airport

The Ukrainian military spokesman, Andriy Lysenko, has confirmed that Kiev's forces had abandoned the airport in Luhansk after it came under attack by a Russian tank battalion. Reports have also come in of fighting at Donetsk airport theguardian.com . The Ukrainian army and volunteer battalions have met with heavy casualties as they tried to retreat from encirclement in the town of Ilovaisk.
Fighting continued in eastern Ukraine even as a new round of talks were due to start in Minsk, Belarus – these talks are aimed at ending the crisis. This would be the first time that the talks would include representatives of the pro-Russian separatist movement.
It is felt that Kiev would not agree to give into demands from the rebel leaders, but the change of the tone indicates that, having boosted the rebels militarily, Moscow could be looking for a compromise solution that will still give it sway over swaths of Ukraine.
Incidentally, the unrest in Ukraine is taking a toll on schooling - in the rebel strongholds of Donetsk and Luhansk, most of the schools did not open due to the chaotic situation, with regular shelling and shortages of water and electricity having created a humanitarian crisis in recent weeks.
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